Top donor countries ‘failing’ Syrians: Oxfam

Displaced Syrian children attend a class in a village in the countryside. (May 27, 2013)

Sep 19, 2013

BEIRUT - Donor countries, among them France, Qatar and Russia, are failing to adequately fund the humanitarian response to the Syrian crisis, an international aid agency said on Thursday.

"Research carried out by... Oxfam reveals that many donor countries are failing to provide their share of the urgently-needed funding for the humanitarian response to the Syria crisis," the agency said in a statement.

"While the need for a political solution to the crisis is as urgent as ever, Oxfam says donors including France, Qatar and Russia, must also prioritise funding the UN's $5 billion appeals," it added.

France and Qatar, who back the Syrian uprising, and Russia, which supports the regime, are among the countries most heavily involved in a conflict that in 30 months has killed more than 110,000 people and forced millions to flee their homes.

But Oxfam said all three countries have committed significantly less aid than would be "fair" given the size of their national income relative to other donor nations.

"Qatar and Russia have both committed just three per cent of what would be considered their fair share for the humanitarian effort, while France is struggling to reach half of its fair share (47 per cent)," said Oxfam. The group's statement comes ahead of an international donors meeting in New York, scheduled for next Wednesday.

"Donors must make real commitments at next week's meeting on Syria and ensure that the money is delivered as soon as possible... The situation demands committed funds in order to save lives," it added.

The UN in June launched its biggest ever appeal for donations to fund the humanitarian response to the Syrian war.